Organizers of major Central Coast events hope 2021 will be better after cancellations due to COVID

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. –  Nearly a year after the pandemic first hit the Central Coast, many local events are in limbo, waiting to find out if 2021 will be better.

While COVID vaccines continue to be distributed on the Central Coast, major events like the Santa Maria Strawberry Festival and the Santa Barbara County Fair are waiting to find out if that will help enough to return in 2021.

The organizer of those events, the Santa Maria Fairpark, says it's barely staying afloat financially.

The Fairpark is not the only local fairgrounds suffering financially due to COVID.

The Paso Robles Event Center also took a hit since 90% of its revenue comes from the annual California Mid-State Fair.

“In 2020, we were not able to have a fair, so that really kinda cut us to our knees,” said California Mid-State Fair spokesman Tom Keffury.

“The fairpark is hanging in there. We had a great event at Christmas time to generate some income,” said Santa Maria Fairpark Board Member Kevin Merrill.

The Fairpark plans on having an event in April that's similar to the Strawberry Festival in April. 

While the California Mid-State Fair hopes to return in the summer if the county gets into Yellow Tier by then.